


Concerning Faith, Hope, and Revolutions

by Wanderbird



Category: Pyre (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Gen, POV Second Person, but Jodi is not here for that shit, internalized ableism, post-first liberation rite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:35:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21705331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wanderbird/pseuds/Wanderbird
Summary: It would not have taken a genius to determine that Jodariel was upset."This was our first liberation rite, Jodi, and we won!" You search her eyes for some glimpse of celebration in your shared victory, but find nothing but confusion and rage. "I had to answer the question honestly. Why are you angry with me?"
Relationships: Jodariel & The Reader (Pyre)
Kudos: 35





	Concerning Faith, Hope, and Revolutions

"You just want to _see what happens?!"  
_It would not have taken a genius to determine that Jodariel was upset. "This was our first liberation rite, Jodi, and we won!" You search her eyes for some glimpse of celebration in your shared victory, but find nothing but confusion and rage. "I had to answer the question honestly. Why are you _angry_ with me?"  
The demon takes a moment to fume in silence before she answers. "Do you not even _care_ about freedom? About the Commonwealth, about us?! It's the entire point of these Rites, Scribes, why did you even _stay_ if you don't care?" She hesitates before plunging on. "Maybe Sandalwood was right to turn you out. At least _he_ cares about the outcome."

That hurt.

You are superfluous in this whole affair. You knew it from the moment Sandalwood finally turned up and thought that you would leave. But to hear it spoken, by someone you had come to trust-- "I'm sorry," you murmur. "It was all I could think of. But if I tell you now that my mind is changed, would you believe me?"  
"Of course not." her eyes narrow.  
That denial makes your belly churn with fire. "Good!" you burst out, and only then can you pull your emotions back under control. "Because I meant it. Though I admit, it was badly put," you mutter. The Gate Guardian had put you on the spot, and you had never been very good at talking to people like that.  
"Explain."

That takes you a moment.  
"I cannot return through the Rites." You take a deep breath. "You know it, I know it, Volfred Sandalwood knows it. And not just because I am a Reader. If it came to that, Sandalwood is probably a skilled enough Reader to direct me as I do all of you despite my nature, and he has far more experience in the Rites than I in any case. The other problem is that I am…" you falter. "I am crippled. I could hardly _walk_ since I woke up this morning, it is so cold here. And certainly that does not hurt me too much as a Reader, but participating firsthand? I would be worse than useless. Particularly during a Liberation Rite here on the mountain, where it will always be cold enough for my injuries to flare up. So if I am to tag along with all of you, it cannot be for the sake of my own liberty."

Jodariel heaves a great sigh, the anger draining from her face. "You are no cripple. You said yourself--"  
"I _am_. I would have died within the hour, had you three not found me in the desert when you did."  
"--and you are not _unnecessary."_

You flinch.

"I mean that, too." Jodi's face is one of steely intent. "I do not trust Sandalwood as far as I can throw him. His Plan is all well and good, but he has spent this entire long journey acting far too mysterious for my peace of mind. The Rites with him would be chaos."

You can sympathize. You do not trust Sandalwood, either, even if he did _not_ mean to abandon you in the woods when he met up with the rest of the Nightwings. Your conversation helped somewhat, certainly, but… still. As Jodi would have it, he has always acted far too mysterious for your liking, and the reputation of his former self in the Commonwealth certainly does not help. Even if you had found yourself in awe of the sap operating an illegal stamping press, all that long time ago. But you must forge onward regardless, toward understanding.  
"I cannot honestly want this on behalf of all the rest of you, either." It is a difficult admission. But you have always been selfish at heart, and Ta'ruq requires honesty. "There is nothing for me in the Commonwealth. To be honest, I don't see why you all want so badly to return to it. The only thing I ever had in the Commonwealth since my injury all those years ago was my books; and my books are surely cinders now. We are freer here. And knowing what I do about the history of nations from those books, rare is the revolution which succeeds in overthrowing much of anything. Rarer still is that which actually fulfills its cause, afterward." Your shoulders sag. "But you all seem to want freedom desperately. And even if the worst happens, they cannot kill you. The worst that will happen is the Commonwealth will have you all tossed back down here, and I will have my only friends back. If the truest answer I can give is my curiosity, is that so bad?"

"If we succeed, we will find a way to bring you with us."  
That quiet assurance hurts more than any insult could have. "Hedwyn said the same thing. I do not wish to be a burden."  
"You are _not_ a burden!" Jodi snaps. "Stop acting as though you are!"  
"But when the Rites are over, I will be. If you, and Hedwyn and Rukey and whoever else gets hurt trying to help me, I _will_ be." You let out a shaky breath. "I cannot put my faith in revolutions. If you succeed, I will be glad, if I know of it. If you manage to bring me back to the Commonwealth with you, into this utopia of Sandalwood's, I will be joyful, and happy to be reunited with all my friends in this or any world. But I do not think either is terribly likely."

Her eyes are sad when she looks at you then, and guilt curls in your stomach. "I am being foolish, in that case. To think it could ever work."

 _No_ , you think. "No!” your eyes swell with tears, but you blink them back as best you can. "No, _please_ do not lose hope on my account. It will never work if no-one tries it, and they _need_ you, Jodi, truly. It is only thanks to all of you that I have any hope at all. When they burned my collection before my eyes, I did not think _hope_ was possible, either, and yet you gave me that! These are just the tired mutterings of an old failure who has spent far too long alone."

Jodi swallows. After a long moment, she finally speaks. "Then do not have faith in revolutions," she says with that gentleness which so rarely left her head. "Have faith in _us._ "

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> I only just started playing Pyre, and it immediately became one of my favorite games. Imagine my glee to discover that's there's actually something of a fandom for it!


End file.
